Digesting apparatus.



H. D. RANKIN.

DIGESTING APPARATUS. APPLrcrArllovN FILED APR, 24. 191s.

19309375.' Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

/175 ATTORNEYS' im'l @TATES PATENT @Fhllm ,Hanny D. ummm, or SAN Francisco, CALIFORNIA, assreraron ro connosroir nxrnec'rion ooMrANY, A conroaarion.

DIGESTING APPARATUS.

ioogsva.

Application filed April 24, 1916. Serial No. 93,125.

of which the following is a specication.

` an apparatus The invention relates to an apparatus in which materials or substances are treated for the purpose ofV decomposing, transposing, dissolving, internally rearranging or renden. ing them soluble. e

An object ofthe invention is to provide for agitating a mixture of li uid and material under pressure, while su jecting it to a high temperature.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for maintaining'a uniform mixture' during the digesting operation.

l"l" he invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth at length in the following description, where l shall outline in full that form of the invention which I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. In said drawings l have shown only one orm of my invention, but it is to be understood thatV l do not limit myself to such iornn'since the invention may be embodied in a licity of forms, each comprising a species o 'my invention.

Referring to said drawings':

Figure 1 is a vertical section of one torni of the apparatus of my invention. l

F ig. 2 is a vertical section taken atright angles to that shown in'Fig.' 1.

16 for` the The apparatus comprises a vessel or retort 2 made of suitable material to resist the action of the mixture contained therein. The vessel is preferably.` arranged within a furnace 3 formed' with suitable inlet and outlet passages. The vessel is closed at the up per end by a cover, plate 4 which is pro` vided with a valve controlled inlet pipe 5, for theliquid, a valve controlled outlet pipe ases and vapors generated in the vessel, an a closable opening 7 for the solid or semi-solid material'to betreated. The vessel is normally tightly closed, so that when heat is applied thereto, a. pressure is produced therein. The bottom 8 of the vessel is nreferablv heini-spherical in form and the discharge passage.

is provided at its lower portion with a discharge passage 9, which is closed at the lower end b y a plate 12, pressed tightly to its seat by a screw 13, bearing in the lever 14 which is pivoted at 15 to the bracket 16, and the plate 12 is also pivotedat 'l5 to the bracket 16. The other end of the lever is de` tachably secured vto the bracket 17 by the pin 18. The discharge passage 9 extends through the. bottom wall 20 of the furnace, so that access to the discharge gate may be readily had. v y

Arranged within the vessel and preferably inthe bottomportion thereof is an agitator, comprising a plurality of semi-circular arms 19 having stirrers 21 attached thereto and extending into close proximity to the bottom 8. The agitator is secured to a rotatable shaft 25 which passes through a suitable stuffing box 22 in the cover 4. The agita tor is rotated during the heating of the mixture so that agglomeration of the mass is prevented.

In order to prevent the mixture being treated from lodging inthe discharge passage, where it would not be subjected to a gitation nor the proper temperature, 'means Vare arranged'in the passage for returning to the vessel any material which passes into This means prefera screw conveye'r 23, which direction that it carries material upward into the vessel. The conveyer is provided on its' upper end with a seat for engagement with the squaredV end of the shaft 25, so that the conveyor rotated with the agitator. The lower end of the conveyor bears on a projection` 2a on the plate 12. When the discharge gate is opened, the conably comprises rotates in such veyer screw drops out and the contents are discharged. 1 claim: y

l.v 1n a digesting apparatus, a vessel, avertically disposed discharge passage arranged at the bottom of the vessel, rotatable means inI said passage for returning material from the passageinto the vessel and mechanism for rotating said means.

' 2. In a digesting apparatus, a vessel, a discharge passage arranged at the bottom of the vessel and a rotary conveyer in said pas sage arranged to convey material deposited therein into the vessel.

Patented Apr. 15, i219..

3. In a digesting apparatus, a vessel, passage and a rotata'bleagitator in the vessel 10 discharge passage arranged a5 the bottom of connected to said conveyer. the vessel, means in said passage for con- In testimon;r whereof, I have hereunto set veying material deposited therein into the my vhand at San Francisco, California, this vessel and an agitator in saidvessel com 15th day of April, 1916. i nected to'said means. 'HARRY D RNKIN 4. 'n a digesting apparatus, a vessel, a i f discharge passage arranged at the bottom of In presence ofg the vessel, a 'screw conveyer arranged in said f HJG. Pnos'r. 

